ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Start saving pennies. A large (ish) enough processor to do commercial firewood is gonna run about 40k.
No more firewood equipment...
- Thread starter Sandhill Crane
- Start date
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sirbuildalot
Addicted to ArboristSite
There are less expensive full hydraulic processors. At least in the short term, but over time the entry level machine may not be up to more than light use.
In more practical terms, dollar wise for what the car cost I could have purchased an entry level machine. If you put them side by side, car compared to a processor, it is hard to believe they are similar in value or cost to produce.
It's mute really, but interesting.
If we still had high school age kids at home I'd get a welder in a minute.
One, I doubt I'd use it enough to learn how to use it.
Two, if I did get past that, it would cost a small fortune to acquire other metal working tools to compliment its use.
In more practical terms, dollar wise for what the car cost I could have purchased an entry level machine. If you put them side by side, car compared to a processor, it is hard to believe they are similar in value or cost to produce.
It's mute really, but interesting.
If we still had high school age kids at home I'd get a welder in a minute.
One, I doubt I'd use it enough to learn how to use it.
Two, if I did get past that, it would cost a small fortune to acquire other metal working tools to compliment its use.
I dont even want to think about the miles I have put on cars over the years. Working for the railroad, I was always going a long distance to the job. It wasnt unusual to have to drive 500 miles one way just to get to the job site. I could add up the number of new cars I have worn out, but It would make me go into depression. I bought them knowing they would have no trade in value when it was time to replace. I always chose good gas mileage cars, which meant Chevetts, Escorts, and always put 200,000+ miles on them. My last road car was a Ford Escort I put 280,000 miles on it and gave it to my grandson. It has well over 300,000 now and he's still driving it. My current car is a 2010 Fusion. It is my wifes car. I made it my road car the last couple of years I was still working and it has about 140k on it. My wife wants a new car and I told her she could get one when she starts drawing her retirement, next Feb. She has already started ground squirreling money for the down payment. Says she aint making payments and plans on me taking money out of my IRA to pay for her car. Thats another story the ending hasnt been written yet. Now I am getting depressed.
Welding Rocks
Don’t see no rocks
Depression.
That's a catch-all phrase for something. Just not sure what.
Sounds like time to do some welding on your processor. You could make a fortune in the firewood business...
Actually if you put together a bolt-on kit for the SuperSplit four wheel mod you could probably sell a few.
Same with the phenolic table skin for the SS. Just bolts on. That would be a simple cad router project for cutting and pre drilling/countersink.
Of course then there is painting (steel components), packaging and shipping.
You might need a complaint department as well.
That's a catch-all phrase for something. Just not sure what.
Sounds like time to do some welding on your processor. You could make a fortune in the firewood business...
Actually if you put together a bolt-on kit for the SuperSplit four wheel mod you could probably sell a few.
Same with the phenolic table skin for the SS. Just bolts on. That would be a simple cad router project for cutting and pre drilling/countersink.
Of course then there is painting (steel components), packaging and shipping.
You might need a complaint department as well.
Sandhill - have been reading your threads and looking at your process and thinking back to your comments about reducing the amount of lifting.
Looked at the other thread on the bucking table, and saw Casey's pictures showing his rounds on the table (Post 83) I think what you need now is to add some roller conveyor at the splitter end of each bucking table. Buck rounds, then slide them over the rollers directly onto your supersplit. No lifting other than wrestling blocks around on the splitter. You have already added the widened UMHW table to the splitter. If you built a conveyor from the end of the bucking table up to the edge of the supersplit, you would never lift another round.
Of course - you would likely want a lift gate of some kind so you can get to your elevator and Posch without having to go all the way around your log bunks, but that's easy enough with roller conveyors.
I see a V shaped config - with the splitter at the point, 2 roller conveyors coming in from each bucking table. In fact - if you installed rollers on the bucking table itself (safely spaced to avoid saw kerfs) you could roll a log forward, buck to length, then slide all 10 blocks forward as a "unit". Gravity is your friend. With the right slope it would be easy.
You have the forklift to get the logs up onto the table. Why lift the blocks manually even once???
Course it would mean spending more money on firewood equipment - but nothing like buying a processor.
Looked at the other thread on the bucking table, and saw Casey's pictures showing his rounds on the table (Post 83) I think what you need now is to add some roller conveyor at the splitter end of each bucking table. Buck rounds, then slide them over the rollers directly onto your supersplit. No lifting other than wrestling blocks around on the splitter. You have already added the widened UMHW table to the splitter. If you built a conveyor from the end of the bucking table up to the edge of the supersplit, you would never lift another round.
Of course - you would likely want a lift gate of some kind so you can get to your elevator and Posch without having to go all the way around your log bunks, but that's easy enough with roller conveyors.
I see a V shaped config - with the splitter at the point, 2 roller conveyors coming in from each bucking table. In fact - if you installed rollers on the bucking table itself (safely spaced to avoid saw kerfs) you could roll a log forward, buck to length, then slide all 10 blocks forward as a "unit". Gravity is your friend. With the right slope it would be easy.
You have the forklift to get the logs up onto the table. Why lift the blocks manually even once???
Course it would mean spending more money on firewood equipment - but nothing like buying a processor.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Sure, 40k is a rough number, but I wouldn't look at anything much cheaper than that to use commercially.
Best suited for average commercial use would be a Cord King 60, Block Buster 18-20, etc. Now sure on the 18-20 price, saw a used one for 42k. The Cord King is about 80k.
I have a 15-20 Blockbuster. It's holding up, but I've had to do a fair bit if work to get it work too. Not quite enough machine.
The Multitek 16-20 was even worse. Splitter wasn't nearly sturdy enough.
I would like to see Casey's set up. I did see a ramp set up in some photos.
I'm using two bucking tables, one on each side, which means I work both sides of the splitter. A ramp would have to be stationary, as in solid, fixed at the table, but also removable.
Thanks buddy, you just gave me an idea.
A ramp hinged to the bench. Also hinged mid length of the ramp, so when in place resting on the out feed table, it could be lifted, hinged half way would allow it to collapse lengthwise and drop, clearing the out feed table when lowered. In the hanging, lowered position I could still work the splitter and cut on the bench.
Perhaps simpler still would be a hinged support leg, and the ramp would be a few inches short of the splitter.
At any rate it would be used and dropped out of the way for cutting every other log.
Certainly something to try prior to buying a horizontal/tip up splitter.
The way I work now the splitter is offset to one end of the cut tables. This is because of the Posch, conveyor, splitter set up all of which is configured around a large Oak tree. I need room for pallets and the forklift by the Posch. So I now lift and carry some of the rounds a few steps to the splitter. I've found this preferable to lifting and rotating 180* each and every time right next to the splitter. More work, but less stressful on joints, on my knees to take a few steps than the twisting under load.
A cord of wood, just guessing, thirty or so 8' logs depending on dia., times six rounds per log, roughly 180 rounds. That's 5,800 pounds green, and a lot of knee twisting. It is also why I work both sides of the splitter now. And why a processor makes sense even though I could never use one to its potential two or three cords per hour working alone, and using the Posch. Hiring a person would be a considerable expense that would be hard to cover. Also, not everyone treats equipment the same.
I lost track of my point (old age I guess). 'splitter is off set to one end of the cut tables.'
Oh. I love the phenolic plastic on the splitter out feed so much I thought about using it on the cut table to slide logs to the bump stop, and large rounds to one end if need be.. An 8' long by 18" strip should do on each table. If hit with a saw chain, and it definitely would be, no problem. Probably $300. Get a 4' x 8' sheet and use some on the ramps too.
I think Casey has already done this on his work tables come to think of it.
Endless ways to spend money...
What specifically would you like to see? Its set up right on the basketball court, which currently has a mote.
Did you guys get all this rain?
Did you guys get all this rain?
Oh yes! Unending rain yesterday. Snow melt and rain.
What I did not say, is whether or not the SS can efficiently split the larger rounds.
Looking at the log pile Monday, I think maybe not.
Which brings me back to purchasing another splitter for the job to cover the next couple years worth of culls.
Reading the other box store splitter threads with interest.
Maybe just a 22 ton. No four-way.
What I did not say, is whether or not the SS can efficiently split the larger rounds.
Looking at the log pile Monday, I think maybe not.
Which brings me back to purchasing another splitter for the job to cover the next couple years worth of culls.
Reading the other box store splitter threads with interest.
Maybe just a 22 ton. No four-way.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Doing 8ft logs would suck on most processors. They are usually designed for 20-40ft logs.
A processor with your Porche machine would work nicely.
I've been working by myself for the last month or so. I've been doing around 5-6 cords a week without pushing too hard. Cut, split, stacked in the truck and delivered.
Works ok as we are getting toward the end of winter. Im only selling about as much as I can make.
With a guy stacking I can do 12-14 cords a week.
A processor with your Porche machine would work nicely.
I've been working by myself for the last month or so. I've been doing around 5-6 cords a week without pushing too hard. Cut, split, stacked in the truck and delivered.
Works ok as we are getting toward the end of winter. Im only selling about as much as I can make.
With a guy stacking I can do 12-14 cords a week.
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Sandhill, not sure if you seen my pictures of the roller conveyor I built with a chainsaw on it to cut logs. I never ended up doing much with it and it's sitting back on my fenceline waiting for me to think about it again. It might give you some ideas for your short logs. Scroll down to Post #330 and there is a few pictures and explanation of it. It did work good I just didn't have time to tweak it a little more. It doesn't take much to get me side tracked.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/my-firewood-tools.153256/page-17#post-5495495
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/my-firewood-tools.153256/page-17#post-5495495
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Any tooth's better than no tooth
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
I suspect someone struck that torch handed it to her said hold this and look like you know what your doing
She knows what she's doing...
alleyyooper
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ya we got the rain and melted foot of snow all in 3 days time.
Our creek is higher than I have ever seen it in 32 years, about 5 feet deep where ther pictures were taken, normal is maybe a foot, more like 8 inches.
Like even if we get a couple inches of rain you still can not stand in the living room and see water. Kare took these pictures with her phone from the living room window. Yes some of my fire wood got wet.
Al
Our creek is higher than I have ever seen it in 32 years, about 5 feet deep where ther pictures were taken, normal is maybe a foot, more like 8 inches.
Like even if we get a couple inches of rain you still can not stand in the living room and see water. Kare took these pictures with her phone from the living room window. Yes some of my fire wood got wet.
Al
alleyyooper
Addicted to ArboristSite
My mom worked for AMC that became Chrysler and my dad worked for GM so I could get employee priceing on new.
Did that for many years for the wifes Jeeps and my trucks. I bough my last new truck just before I retired and my mom passed on, no discounts once they both passed on either.
I have found I save about half the price by buying year old lease turn in Jeep and trucks now. Now the wife doesn't mind never did taking a Jeep off the lot pot luck and was happy.
Me not so much, short box pick ups are about as worthless as teets on a boar, Same with a 30 speed auto transmission and 8 inch pile carpets.
I always ordered my trucks so I got every thing from the color to how many speakers the truck had.
Takes months of looking to get even a long bed truck a year or two years old now days.
Even in farm country the dealers only stock those worth less short box trucks, farmers are buying cab and chassie trucks and adding 5th wheel hook ups or the goose neck to pull trailers. then they keep them till the wheels have falen off at least 3 times.
Al
Did that for many years for the wifes Jeeps and my trucks. I bough my last new truck just before I retired and my mom passed on, no discounts once they both passed on either.
I have found I save about half the price by buying year old lease turn in Jeep and trucks now. Now the wife doesn't mind never did taking a Jeep off the lot pot luck and was happy.
Me not so much, short box pick ups are about as worthless as teets on a boar, Same with a 30 speed auto transmission and 8 inch pile carpets.
I always ordered my trucks so I got every thing from the color to how many speakers the truck had.
Takes months of looking to get even a long bed truck a year or two years old now days.
Even in farm country the dealers only stock those worth less short box trucks, farmers are buying cab and chassie trucks and adding 5th wheel hook ups or the goose neck to pull trailers. then they keep them till the wheels have falen off at least 3 times.
Al
Finding a work truck around here is like hens teeth. Seems everybody buys 4dr trucks with short beds. You get a 4dr truck with a long bed and you cant even park the darn thing at Walmart. 99% of the time, I am the only one in my truck. I dont need or want 4 drs. Even when I have my wife with me, 2 drs are a plenty. Give me a 2 dr truck with a 8ft bed and I am happy. Folks that need 4 dr trucks are those that haul crews, had one at work for years, work great for that application. Folks buying 4 dr trucks are families that use the trucks as grocery getters and soccer games. To those folks I say buy a 4 dr car, you will get better fuel mileage and its a lot easier to park at the grocery store.
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